If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep the moment.
Linda Mc Cartney
As we recently strolled the streets of Vienna, my new favorite city, we stumbled upon the above museum gallery posting. As I always say, everything happens as it should and for a reason. This lead us to the highlight of my day and kept us out of the cold and pouring rain.
I have always admired Linda McCartney. Her photography. Her passion for animal rights and activism. The love between her and Paul. She continues to inspire me and their love has always touched my heart.
My husband and I always educate and discuss along the way with our boys. We talk about the cities, the history, the art, the landmarks, etc. We gain knowledge each day as well in order to share with them. I’m always discovering, growing and learning and I’ve never been more interested in history and this world we live in, as I am now.
Our boys ask so many questions and they are so interested in everything. Initially, they are fascinated by the stories. Experiencing these stories coming alive only solidifies and sparks their interest more. It amazes me each day when I find myself in conversations with our 3 and 5 year olds about the Titanic, the Beatles, Mozart, Jewish history, and Leonardo Da Vinci…to name a few.
I was immediately enlivened as we entered the Museum Hundertwasser. This was Linda’s first comprehensive retrospective of her work. As we peacefully viewed the exhibition, I explained each portrait. My boys inquired about Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Hendrix, the Beatles etc, and tears of deep joy fell from my eyes.
I enjoyed perusing her professional photographs but mostly I was moved by the intimate expression captured in her family photos. She said her point of view changed once she gave birth and her photography became much more personal and close to her heart.
This I truly understand and relate to. I saw a lot of myself in her that day. I felt her love for her family. I felt her love for photography. I felt her love for life, humanity and animals. She wasn’t technically trained but she captured people. She captured true emotion and moments. She didn’t stage photos and this is what I’ve always appreciated about her work.
This is how I approach photography. I capture moments. I do my best to capture the true essence of a person. The raw beauty in an object or structure. I am always present and yet, my camera is always ready. I’m not snapping my fingers or setting up scenes. I am playing, engaging and experiencing, all while capturing what I don’t ever want to forget. This happens several times in each day for me.
These memories will last a lifetime within my being. I get that. The photographs I take vividly bring me back to moments in time. I re-live each moment whenever I want to.
As we continued walking through the gallery, which sadly I was unable to photograph, I realized once again how precious and significant each moment is. I believe we are always evolving. As the days go by, I envision different things in my future and I just added another one of those visions to my list.
One day, I will hang my photographs on walls such as these and tell my stories. This is a dream I’ve always had and will now share with you. I am not technically trained. I’ve never taken a class in photography. I only know that photography and writing have been the constant, powerful tools and mediums in which I’ve expressed myself for most of my life.
People often say that I don’t appear in many photographs. I disagree. I am in each and every one. I am the third eye, so to speak. As you look at my photos, my wish is that you not only see the subjects, but also experience and feel my vision. I hope in some way you feel inspired. The photographic lens truly captures my experience in this life. A pencil, pen and keyboard do the same, but that is for a different post.
We went to the museum cafe for a slice of cake and tea and I marveled in the perfection of the day. The boys wanted to know everything and we discussed it all. Linda McCartney, you have 2 new young fans. Much Love and Peace to you, beautiful woman. Thank you for the many gifts you left behind. You, your passion and your love, will always live on.
♥️ Sandy
